Method for controlling weeds

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a method for controlling weeds including a step of performing a spot treatment of at least one anionic herbicide selected from the group consisting of glyphosate or salts thereof, glufosinate or salts thereof, dicamba or salts thereof, 2,4-D or salts or esters thereof and imazethapyr or salts thereof in a cultivation area of soybean, corn, or cotton. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for exerting an excellent control effect in weed control.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This patent application claims the priority and benefit from the ParisConvention based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-059966 (filedon Mar. 27, 2019), and the entire contents described in the Applicationare incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to a method for controlling weeds.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, a method for applying an anionic herbicide is known as amethod for controlling weeds in a soybean field, a corn field, and acotton field (Patent Documents 1-4). A spot treatment is used as anherbicide application method (Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2).

CITATION LIST Patent Documents

Patent Document 1: U.S. Pat. No. 7,105,470

Patent Document 2: U.S. Pat. No. 7,012,040

Patent Document 3: U.S. Pat. No. 8,338,332

Patent Document 4: WO 2012/115968

Non-Patent Document

Non-Patent Document 1: Weed Science 27 (1979), 119-121.

Non-Patent Document 2: Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 30 (2014),143-152.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for exertingan excellent control effect in weed control.

Means for Solving the Problems

The present inventor has found out that by performing a spot treatmentof an anionic herbicide, an excellent control effect on weeds is exertedin the presence of soybean, corn, and cotton.

The present invention includes the following [1] to [5].

-   [1] A method for controlling weeds including a step of performing a    spot treatment of at least one anionic herbicide selected from the    group consisting of glyphosate or salts thereof, glufosinate or    salts thereof, dicamba or salts thereof, 2,4-D or salts or esters    thereof and imazethapyr or salts thereof in a cultivation area of    soybean, corn, or cotton.-   [2] The method according to [1], wherein the anionic herbicide is    applied to at least 10% of an area of the cultivation area by the    spot treatment.-   [3] The method according to [1], wherein the anionic herbicide is    glufosinate or salts thereof.-   [4] The method according to [1], wherein the anionic herbicide is    dicamba or salts thereof.-   [5] The method according to [1], wherein the weeds are weeds    selected from the group consisting of Amaranthus weeds, Kochia    weeds, Ambrosia weeds, and Conyza weeds.

Effect of the Invention

According to the method for controlling weeds of the present invention,it is possible to effectively control weeds.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The method for controlling weeds of the present invention (hereinafter,sometimes referred to as “present method”) includes a step of performinga spot treatment of at least one anionic herbicide in a cultivation areaof soybean, corn, or cotton.

In the present invention, the anionic herbicide is glyphosate or saltsthereof, glufosinate or salts thereof, dicamba or salts thereof, 2,4-Dor salts or esters thereof and imazethapyr or salts thereof, and may behereinafter referred to as “present compound”.

Examples of salts of glyphosate which can be used in the presentinvention include glyphosate choline salt, glyphosate isopropylaminesalt, glyphosate-biproamine, glyphosate-ammonium, glyphosate-diammonium,glyphosate-potassium, glyphosate-sodium, glyphosate-trimesium,glyphosate-dimethylammonium and glyphosate-monoethanolamine. Examples ofpreferable salts of glyphosate include glyphosate-potassium.

Glufosinate or salts thereof which can be used in the present inventioninclude racemic form of glufosinate and mixtures of enantiomers thereofat any proportion, and examples of specific salts includeglufosinate-ammonium, glufosinate-P-ammonium, glufosinate-sodium andglufosinate-P-sodium. Examples of preferable salts of glufosinateinclude glufosinate-ammonium.

Examples of salts of dicamba which can be used in the present inventioninclude dicamba-diglycolamine, dicamba-biproamine,dicamba-tetrabutylammonium and dicamba-tetrabutylphosphonium. Examplesof preferable salts of dicamba include dicamba-biproamine.

Examples of salts or esters of 2,4-D which can be used in the presentinvention include 2,4-D choline salt, 2,4-D-biproamine, 2,4-D-doboxyl,2,4-D-2-ethylhexyl, 2,4-D-3-butoxypropyl, 2,4-D-ammonium, 2,4-D-butotyl,2,4-D-butyl, 2,4-D-diethylammonium, 2,4-D-dimethylammonium,2,4-D-diolamine, 2,4-D-dodecylammonium, 2,4-D-ethyl,2,4-D-heptylammonium, 2,4-D-isobutyl, 2,4-D-isooctyl, 2,4-D-isopropyl,2,4-D-isopropylammonium, 2,4-D-lithium, 2,4-D-meptyl, 2,4-D-methyl,2,4-D-octyl, 2,4-D-pentyl, 2,4-D-propyl, 2,4-D-sodium, 2,4-D-tefuryl,2,4-D-tetradecylammonium, 2,4-D-triethylammonium,2,4-D-tris(2-hydroxypropyl)ammonium and 2,4-D-trolamine. Examples ofpreferable salts of 2,4-D include 2,4-D choline salt.

Examples of salts of imazethapyr which can be used in the presentinvention include imazethapyr-ammonium.

In the present method, a cultivation area of soybean, corn and cotton(hereinafter, may also be referred to as “present crop”) includes aplace where the present crop is cultivated and a place where the presentcrop is to be cultivated.

In the present method, a spot treatment is a concept opposite to uniformherbicide blanket treatment and means treatment of selectively sprayingan herbicide to a place where weeds are growing or a place where weedsmay grow. The term “treatment to a place” means that weeds or their soilare treated in a case where the weeds are growing, and the soil istreated at a place where the weeds may grow. A case where the presentcompound is somewhat sprayed to a place where weeds are not growing or aplace where weeds may not grow due to spray drift, evaporation, or thelike is also included in the spot treatment as long as the treatment isnot the uniform blanket treatment. In addition, it is not only a casewhere all of the places where weeds are growing or the places whereweeds may grow are selectively treated in a continuous cultivation areaof the present crop to be regarded as spot treatment. In other words, acase where a part of the cultivation area is subjected to blankettreatment, or even a case where a part of the place where weeds aregrowing or a part of the place where weeds may grow is not treated withthe present compound is included in the spot treatment as long as thereis a spot-treated place in the continuous cultivation area of thepresent crop. The spot treatment may be performed while avoiding thepresent crop, or may be performed based only on the position of weedsregardless of the position of the present crop.

The methods of a spot treatment will be specifically described below.The spot treatment may be performed such that, in the cultivation areaof the present crop, a spraying person walks or gets on aground-traveling equipment or a flight equipment in order to spray thepresent compound visually using a handheld nozzle or a robotic armnozzle. Further, the spot treatment may be performed by mapping a placewhere weeds are growing or may grow in advance, and spraying the presentcompound based on the map information. In the spraying based on the mapinformation, in addition to the above method, the spot treatment may beperformed such that, during traveling or flight of a sprayer, a nozzleon a boom or a robotic arm nozzle is automatically or manually openedand closed based on the position information of the sprayer (obtained byGPS or the like) and the map information. The map information may becreated based on image information captured by a manned or unmannedflying object or the like, or may be created visually by an observerwalking on the ground, an observer riding on a ground-travelingequipment, or an observer riding on a flight equipment. Further, thesprayer that travels or flies may have a function of detecting a placewhere weeds are growing or a place where weeds may grow, and the spottreatment may be performed by the boom, the robotic arm, or the likewhile performing real-time mapping. The techniques are described inPatent Documents (e.g., WO 2018001893 and WO 2018036909) and Non-PatentDocuments (e.g., Crop Protection 26, 270-277, Weed Technology 17,711-717, and Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 30, 143-152). Thesetechniques are a form of emerging agriculture called precisionagriculture, smart agriculture, digital agriculture, or the like, andthe non-uniform spraying manner generated by the spot treatment is alsocalled variable rate application (VRA) as a term in the emergingagriculture.

The place where weeds may grow may be estimated based on the fact thatthe weeds have formed vegetation patches in the past growth period, ormay be estimated from the distribution of the buried seeds. Thedistribution of the buried seeds may be investigated by soil sampling orestimated by remote sensing.

In the present crop, variations within each crop species are notparticularly limited. The soybean may be of any maturity group (maturitygroup I-X) such as early to late maturing, may be of any growth habit(indeterminate, determinate, and semi-determinate), may be of any growthtype (vining and bush types), or may have any seed coat color (paleorange, black, green, and brown). Any of the above soybeans may be anedamame variety or a shoot-harvested variety, and it is desirable thatthe soybean be a grain harvesting type in which dry-ripened seeds areharvested. The corn may be of any maturity group such as early to latematuring, and is preferably dent corn, and may be flint corn, flourcorn, pop corn, waxy corn, sweet corn, or the like. In addition, it isalso desirable that the corn is field corn, i.e., a complex mainlycomposed of dent corn, flint corn, and a hybrid of dent corn and flintcorn. The cotton may be pima cotton or the like, and is desirably uplandcotton.

The present crops may be plants producible by natural crossing, plantsproducible by a mutation, F1 hybrid plants, or transgenic plants (alsocalled genetically modified plants). These plants generally havecharacteristics such as tolerance to herbicides, accumulation ofsubstances toxic to insect pests, reduction in sensitivity to diseases,increase in yield potential, improvement in tolerance to biotic orabiotic stress factors, accumulation of substances, and improvement inpreservability and processability.

The F1 hybrid plants are those which are each a first filial hybridobtained by crossing two different varieties with each other andgenerally have characteristics of heterosis, which is a nature of havingmore excellent trait than both of the parents. The transgenic plants arethose which are obtained by introducing an exogenous gene from otherorganisms such as microorganisms and have characteristics like thosethat cannot be easily obtained by crossbreeding, mutation induction, ornatural recombination in natural environments.

Examples of the techniques used to create the above plants includeconventional type variety improvement techniques; genetic engineeringtechniques; genomic breeding techniques; new breeding techniques; andgenome editing techniques. The conventional type variety improvementtechniques are specifically techniques for obtaining plants havingdesired properties by mutation and crossing. The genetic engineeringtechniques are techniques in which a target gene (DNA) is extracted froma certain organism (e.g., microorganism) to introduce it into a genomeof a different target organism, thereby imparting new properties to theorganism, and antisense techniques or RNA interference techniques forimparting new or improved characteristics by silencing other genesexisting in plants. The genomic breeding techniques are those improvingbreeding efficiency by using genome information and include DNA marker(also called genomic markers or genetic markers) breeding techniques andgenomic selection. For example, the DNA marker breeding is a method inwhich a progeny having a target gene with a useful trait is selectedfrom a lot of cross progenies by using a DNA marker which is a DNAsequence and is a marker of the presence position of a gene with aspecific useful trait on a genome. This method has the characteristicsthat the time required for breeding can be effectively reduced byanalyzing the cross progeny using a DNA marker when the progeny is ajuvenile plant.

Also, the genomic selection is a method in which a prediction formula iscreated from a phenotype obtained in advance and genome information topredict the characteristics from the prediction formula and the genomeinformation without any evaluation of the phenotype and is a techniquecontributing to improvement in efficient breeding. The new breedingtechniques are a generic term of variety improvement (breeding)techniques that are combinations of molecular biological techniques.Examples of new breeding techniques include cisgenesis/intragenesis,oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis, RNA-dependent DNA methylation,genome editing, grafting onto a GM rootstock or scion, reverse breeding,agroinfiltration, and seed production technology (SPT). The genomeediting techniques are those in which genetic information is transformedin a sequence-specific manner which enables, for example, deletion of abase sequence, substitution of an amino acid sequence, and introductionof an exogenous gene. Examples of tools for these techniques includesequence-specific genome modification techniques such as zinc-fingernuclease (Zinc-Finger, ZFN), TALEN, CRISPR/Cas9, CRISPER/Cpf1, andMeganuclease which each enable sequence-specific DNA scission and CAS9nickase and Target-AID which are each created by modifying theaforementioned tools.

Examples of the plants described above include plants listed in GMAPPROVAL DATABASE of genetically modified crops in the electronicinformation site (http://www.isaaa.org/) of INTERNATINAL SERVICE for theACQUISITION of AGRI-BIOTECH APPLICATIONS (ISAAA). More specific examplesthereof include herbicide-tolerant plants, insect pest-resistant plants,disease-resistant plants, plants in which the quality of products (e.g.,starch, amino acid, and fatty acid) is modified (e.g., the content isincreased or decreased, or composition is changed), fertility traitmodified plants, abiotic stress-tolerant plants, and plants in whichtraits related to growth and yield are modified.

Examples of plants to which tolerance to herbicides is imparted aregiven as follows.

The tolerance to herbicides is obtained, for example, by reducing thecompatibility of a chemical with its target, by rapid metabolism (e.g.,breakdown or modification) resulting from the expression of a chemicaldeactivation enzyme, or by inhibiting the incorporation of a chemicalinto a plant body or the transfer of the chemical in the plant body.

Examples of plants to which herbicide tolerance is imparted by a geneticengineering technique include: plants to which tolerance to4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (hereinafter abbreviated as HPPD)inhibitors such as isoxaflutole and mesotrione, acetolactate synthase(hereinafter abbreviated as ALS) inhibitors such as imidazolinoneherbicides including imazethapyr and sulfonylurea herbicides includingthifensulfuron-methyl, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase(hereinafter abbreviated as EPSPS) inhibitors such as glyphosate,glutamine synthetase inhibitors such as glufosinate, auxin typeherbicides such as 2,4-D, oxynil herbicides including bromoxynil, orprotoporphyrinogen oxidase (hereinafter abbreviated as PPO) inhibitorssuch as flumioxazin is imparted by the genetic engineering technique.

Specific herbicide-tolerant plants are shown below.

Glyphosate herbicide-tolerant plants; The plants are obtained byintroduction of at least one of a glyphosate tolerant EPSPS gene (CP4epsps) derived from Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain CP4, a glyphosatemetabolic enzyme gene (gat 4601, gat 4621) in which the metabolicactivity of the glyphosate metabolic enzyme (glyphosateN-acetyltransferase) gene derived from Bacillus licheniformis isenhanced by a shuffling technique, a glyphosate metabolic enzyme(glyphosate oxidase gene, goxv 247) derived from an Ochrobacterumanthropi strain LBAA, and an EPSPS gene (mepsps, 2mepsps) having aglyphosate-tolerant mutation derived from corn. Examples of main plantsinclude alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Argentina canola (Brassica napus),cotton (Gossypium hirsutism L.), creeping bentgrass (Agrostisstolonifera), corn (Zea mays L.) polish canola (Brassica rapa), potato(Solanum tuberosum L.), soybean (Glycine max L.), sugar beet (Betavulgaris), and wheat (Triticum aestivum). Some glyphosate-toleranttransgenic plants are commercially available. For example, a geneticallymodified plant that expresses glyphosate tolerant EPSPS derived fromAgrobacterium is sold under a trade name such as “Roundup Ready(registered trademark)”, a genetically modified plant that expresses aglyphosate metabolic enzyme derived from Bacillus bacteria in which themetabolic activity is enhanced by a shuffling technique is sold under atrade name such as “Optimum (registered trademark) GAT (trademark)” or“Optimum (registered trademark) Gly canola”, and a genetically modifiedplant that expresses EPSPS having a glyphosate-tolerant mutation derivedfrom corn is sold under the trade name of “GlyTol (trademark)”.

Glufosinate herbicide-tolerant plants; The plants are obtained byintroduction of at least one of a phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase(PAT) gene (bar) which is a glufosinate metabolic enzyme derived fromStreptomyces hygroscopicus, a phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase (PAT)enzyme gene (pat) which is a glufosinate metabolic enzyme derived fromStreptomyes viridochromogenes, and a synthesized pat gene (pat syn)derived from Streptomyes viridochromogenes strain Tu494. Examples ofmain plants include Argentina canola (Brassica napus), chicory(Cichorium intybus), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), corn (Zea mays L.)polish canola (Brassica rapa), rice (Oryza sativa L.), soybean (Glycinemax L.), and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris). Some glufosinate-tolerantgenetically modified plants are commercially available. The glufosinatemetabolic enzyme (bar) derived from Streptomyces hygroscopicus and thegenetically modified plant derived from Streptomyes viridochromogenesare sold under trade names such as “LibertyLink (trademark)”, “InVigor(trademark)”, and “WideStrike (trademark)”. Oxynil herbicide (e.g.,bromoxynil)-tolerant plants; Examples thereof include an oxynilherbicide-tolerant, for example, bromoxynil-tolerant transgenic plant towhich a nitrilase gene (bxn), which is an oxynil herbicide (e.g.,bromoxynil) metabolic enzyme derived from Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp.Ozaenae, is introduced. Examples of main plants include Argentina canola(Brassica napus), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), and tobacco (Nicotianatabacum L.). These are sold under trade names such as “Navigator(trademark) canola” and “BXN (trademark)”. ALS herbicide-tolerantplants; carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) to which the ALSherbicide-tolerant ALS gene (surB) derived from tobacco (Nicotianatabacum) as a selective marker is introduced, “Moondust (trademark)”,“Moonshadow (trademark)”, “Moonshade (trademark)”, “Moonlite(trademark)”, “Moonaqua (trademark)”, “Moonvista (trademark)”, “Moonique(trademark)”, “Moonpearl (trademark)”, “Moonberry (trademark)”, and“Moonvelvet (trademark)”; flax (Linum usitatissumum L.) to which the ALSherbicide-tolerant ALS gene (als) derived from Arabidopsis thaliana isintroduced, “CDC Triffid Flax”; corn (Zea mays L.) tolerant tosulfonylurea and imidazolinone herbicides to which ALS herbicidetolerant ALS gene (zm-hra) derived from corn is introduced, “Optimum(trademark) GAT (trademark); soybean tolerant to imidazolinone herbicideto which ALS herbicide tolerant ALS gene (csr1-2) derived fromArabidopsis thaliana is introduced, “Cultivance”; and soybean tolerantto sulfonylurea herbicide to which ALS herbicide-tolerant ALS gene(gm-hra) derived from soybean (Glycine max) is introduced, “Trees(trademark)”, “Plenish (trademark)” and “Optimum GAT (trademark)”, aresold under those trade names. Examples thereof include cotton to whichthe ALS herbicide-tolerant ALS gene (S4-HrA) derived from tobacco(Nicotiana tabacum cv.Xanthi) is introduced. HPPD herbicide-tolerantplants; soybean to which the HPPD gene (avhppd-03) tolerant tomesotrione derived from oat (Avena sativa) and the phosphinothricinN-acetyltransferase (PAT) enzyme gene (pat) that exhibits tolerance tomesotrione, which is a glufosinate metabolic enzyme derived fromStreptomyes viridochromogenes, are simultaneously introduced is soldunder the trade name of “Herbicide-tolerant Soybean line”.

2,4-D-tolerant plants; corn to which the aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenasegene (aad-1), which is a 2,4-D metabolic enzyme derived from Sphingobiumherbicidovorans, is introduced is sold under the trade name of Enlist(trademark) Maize. Examples thereof include soybean and cotton to whichthe aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase gene (aad-12), which is a 2,4-Dmetabolic enzyme derived from Delftia acidovorans, is introduced, andthese are sold under the trade name of “Enlist (trademark) Soybean”.

Dicamba-tolerant plants; Examples thereof include soybean and cotton towhich the Dicamba monooxygenase gene (dmo), which is a dicamba metabolicenzyme derived from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain DI-6, isintroduced. Soybean (Glycine max L.) to which the glyphosate-tolerantEPSPS gene (CP4 epsps) derived from Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain CP4is introduced simultaneously with the above-described gene is sold underthe trade name of “tenuity (registered trademark) Roundup Ready(trademark) 2 Xtend (trademark)”.

PPO Inhibitor-tolerant plants; Examples thereof include plants to whichprotoporphyrinogen oxidase having reduced compatibility with a PPOinhibitor is imparted by genetic engineering technique, and plants towhich cytochrome P450 monooxygenase that detoxifies and degrades a PPOinhibitor is similarly imparted. Examples thereof also may includeplants to which both the protoporphyrinogen oxidase and the cytochromeP450 monooxygenase are imparted. These plants are described in knowndocuments, and examples thereof include Patent Documents such as WO2011085221, WO 2012080975, WO 2014030090, WO 2015022640, WO 2015022636,WO 2015022639, WO 2015092706, WO 2016203377, WO 2017198859, WO2018019860, WO 2018022777, WO 2017112589, WO 2017087672, WO 2017039969,and WO 2017023778, and Non-Patent Documents (Pest Management Science,61, 2005, 277-285).

Examples of commercially available transgenic plants to which herbicidetolerance is imparted include corn tolerant to glyphosate, “RoundupReady Corn”, “Roundup Ready 2”, “Agrisure GT”, “Agrisure GT/CB/LL”,“Agrisure GT/RW”, “Agrisure 3000GT”, “YieldGard VT Rootworm/RR2”, and“YieldGard VT Triple”; soybean tolerant to glyphosate, “Roundup ReadySoybean” and “Optimum GAT”; cotton tolerant to glyphosate, “RoundupReady Cotton” and “Roundup Ready Flex”; canola tolerant to glyphosate,“Roundup Ready Canola”; alfalfa tolerant to glyphosate, “Roundup ReadyAlfalfa”; rice tolerant to glyphosate, “Roundup Ready Rice”; corntolerant to glufosinate, “Roundup Ready 2”, “Liberty Link”, “Herculex1”, “Herculex RW”, “Herculex Xtra”, “Agrisure GT/CB/LL”, “AgrisureCB/LL/RW”, and “Bt10”; cotton tolerant to glufosinate, “FiberMax LibertyLink”; rice tolerant to glufosinate, “Liberty Link Rice”; canolatolerant to glufosinate, “in Vigor”; rice tolerant to glufosinate,“Liberty Link Rice” (Bayer product); cotton tolerant to bromoxynil,“BXN”; and canola tolerant to bromoxynil, “Navigator” and “Compass”.Additional plants with modified tolerance to herbicides are widelyknown, and examples thereof include alfalfa, apple, barley, eucalyptus,flax, grape, lentils, rapeseed, pea, potato, rice, sugar beet,sunflower, tobacco, tomato, lawn grass, and wheat which are tolerant toglyphosate (See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,188,642, 4,940,835,5,633,435, 5,804,425, and 5,627,061); bean, cotton, soybean, pea,potato, sunflower, tomato, tobacco, corn, sorghum, and sugarcane whichare tolerant to dicamba (See, for example, WO 2008051633, U.S. Pat. Nos.7,105,724, and 5,670,454); soybean, sugar beet, potato, tomato, andtobacco which are tolerant to glufosinate (See, for example, U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,376,754, 5,646,024, and 5,561,236); cotton, peppers, apple,tomato, sunflower, tobacco, potato, corn, cucumber, wheat, soybean,sorghum, and minor cereals which are tolerant to 2,4-D (See, forexample, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,153,401, 6,100,446, WO 2005107437, U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,608,147, and 5,670,454); and canola, corn, millet, barley,cotton, mustard, lettuce, lentils, melon, foxtail millet, oat, rapeseed,potato, rice, rye, sorghum, soybean, sugar beet, sunflower, tobacco,tomato, and wheat which are tolerant to ALS inhibitors (for examplesulfonylurea herbicides and imidazolinone herbicides) (See, for example,U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,659, WO 2006060634, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,761,373,5,304,732, 6,211,438, 6,211,439, and 6,222,100). In particular, ricetolerant to imidazolinone herbicides is known, and rice and the likehaving specific mutations in ALS (for example, S653N, S654K, A122T,S653(At)N, S654(At)K, and A122(At)T are known (See, for example, US2003/0217381 and WO 200520673.); barley, sugarcane, rice, corn, tobacco,soybean, cotton, rapeseed, sugar beet, wheat, and potato which aretolerant to HPPD inhibiting herbicides (for example, isoxazoleherbicides such as isoxaflutole, triketone herbicides such assulcotrione and mesotrione, pyrazole herbicides such as pyrazolynate,and diketonitrile which is a degradation product of isoxaflutole) (See,for example, WO 2004/055191, WO 199638567, WO 1997049816, and U.S. Pat.No. 6,791,014).

Examples of plants to which herbicide tolerance is imparted by aclassical or genomic breeding technique include rice “Clearfield Rice”,wheat “Clearfield Wheat”, sunflower “Clearfield Sunflower”, lentil“Clearfield lentils”, and canola “Clearfield canola” (BASF products)which are tolerant to imidazolinone ALS inhibitory herbicides such asimazethapyr and imazamox; soybean tolerant to sulfonyl ALS inhibitoryherbicides such as thifensulfuron-methyl, “STS soybean”;sethoxydim-tolerant corn tolerant to acetyl-CoA carboxylase(hereinafter, abbreviated as ACCase) inhibitors such as trione oximeherbicides and aryloxyphenoxypropionic acid herbicides, “SR corn”,“Poast Protected (registered trademark) corn”; sunflower tolerant to,for example, sulfonylurea herbicides such as tribenuron, “ExpressSun(registered trademark)”; rice tolerant to acetyl-CoA carboxylaseinhibitors such as quizalofop, “Rrovisia (registered trademark) Rice”;and canola tolerant to photosystem II inhibitors, “Triazinon TolerantCanola”.

Examples of plants to which herbicide tolerance is imparted by genomeediting technique include canola tolerant to sulfonylurea herbicideobtained by Rapid Trait Development System, RIDS (registered trademark),“SU Canola (registered trademark)”. RTDS (registered trademark)corresponds to oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis of genome editingtechnique, and is a technique capable of introducing a mutation throughGene Repair Oligonucleotide (GRON), that is, a chimeric oligonucleotideof DNA and RNA without cleaving DNA in a plant. Examples thereof alsoinclude corn in which herbicide tolerance and phytic acid content isreduced by deletion of the endogenous gene IPK1 with a zinc-fingernuclease (See, for example, Nature 459, 437-441 2009); and rice to whichherbicide tolerance is imparted using CRISPR/Cas9 (See, for example,Rice, 7, 5 2014).

Examples of plants to which herbicide tolerance is imparted by newbreeding techniques include non-transgenic soybean scion to whichglyphosate tolerance is imparted using Roundup Ready (registeredtrademark) soybean with glyphosate tolerance as rootstock, as an exampleof imparting properties of a GM rootstock to a scion, which is a varietyimprovement technique in which grafting is used (See Weed Technology 27:412-416 2013).

In the present method, the present compound is usually mixed with acarrier such as a solid carrier and a liquid carrier, and furtherformulated by addition of an auxiliary agent for formulation such as asurfactant as necessary, to be used. Preferable formulation types whenthe present compound is formulated are soluble liquids, solublegranules, aqueous suspension concentrates, oil-based liquid suspensions,wettable powders, water dispersible granules, granules, aqueousemulsions, oil-based emulsions, and emulsifiable concentrates. Morepreferable formulation types are soluble liquids. A formulationcontaining the present compound singly as an active ingredient may beindependently used or may be tank-mixed with a formulation containingother herbicide as active ingredients. Further, a formulation containingthe present compound and other herbicide as active ingredients may beused. Furthermore, a formulation containing the present compound andother herbicide as active ingredients may be tank-mixed with aformulation containing, as active ingredients, herbicides different fromthe herbicides contained in the former formulation. The content of theactive ingredients (the present compound or a total of the presentcompound and other herbicides/safeners) in the formulation is usually ina range of 0.01 to 90% by weight, and preferably in a range of 1 to 80%by weight.

Examples of the method for spot treatment of the present compoundinclude a method for spraying the present compound to a soil where weedsare growing or a soil where weeds may grow (soil treatment), and amethod of spraying the present compound to growing weeds (foliartreatment). Spraying is usually performed using a spray liquid preparedby mixing a formulation containing the present compound with water.Although the amount of the spray liquid is not particularly limited,inside spot-treated section, it is usually 50 to 1000 L/ha, preferably100 to 500 L/ha, and more preferably 140 to 300 L/ha. The proportion ofthe area subjected to the spot treatment in the cultivation area of thepresent crop (proportion of the area to which the herbicide is sprayed,relative to the entire area of the continuous cultivation area of thepresent crop) is usually 1 to 99%, and preferably 10 to 80%. Specificexamples of the proportion include 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, and 70%. Thearea of the “continuous cultivation area” that defines these percentagesis not particularly limited. For example, the proportion treated in asection at a scale of 10,000 m² may be indicated, and the proportion ina section at any scale such as 1000 m², 100 m², 10 m², 1 m², 0.1 m², and0.01 m² may be indicated.

The application amount of the present compound in the present method is5 to 2000 g per 10,000 m², preferably 50 to 1500 g per 10,000 m², morepreferably 200 to 1000 g per 10,000 m², and still more preferably 400 to700 g per 10,000 m², as the application amount inside spot-treatedsection. In a case where there is a plurality of sections subjected tospot treatment in a continuous cultivation area, the application amountmay be constant or different for each section. When the present methodis performed, an adjuvant may be tank-mixed. The type of adjuvant is notparticularly limited. Desirably, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, or 6%(volume/volume) of an oil-based adjuvant (Mineral oils such asparaffinic hydrocarbon, naphthenic hydrocarbon or aromatic hydrocarbonand the like, or Methylate Seed Oil obtained by esterifying vegetableoil (soybean oil or rapeseed oil)) such as Agri-Dex or MSO is tank-mixedwith the spray liquid; or 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.25%, or 0.5% (volume/volume) ofa nonionic adjuvant (polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether, polyoxyalkylene fattyacid ester, alkylaryl alkoxylate, or alkylaryl polyoxyalkylene glycol)such as Induce is tank-mixed with the spray liquid. In addition,examples thereof include anionic adjuvants such as gramine S(substituted sulfonate), cationic adjuvants such as Genamin T 200BM(polyoxyethylene amine), and organic silicon adjuvants such as SilwettL77. Further, a drift reducing agent such as Intact (polyethyleneglycol) may be tank-mixed.

The pH and hardness of the spray liquid are not particularly limited,and the pH is usually in a range of 5 to 9, and the hardness is usuallyin a range of 0 to 500.

The time period for performing the present method is not particularlylimited, but it is usually in a range of 5 AM to 9 PM, and the photonflux density at the canopy level at the place where the present methodis carried out is usually 10 to 2,500 micromole/m²/sec. Meanwhile, thepresent method can also be carried out at night using the mapinformation and the position information.

The spray pressure when conducting the present method is notparticularly limited, but it is usually 30 to 120 PSI and preferably 40to 80 PSI. Here, the spray pressure is a set value just beforeintroduction into the nozzle.

The nozzle used in the present method may be a flat-fan nozzle or adrift-reducing nozzle. Examples of flat-fan nozzles include Teejt110series and XR Teejet110 series manufactured by TeeJet Technologies. Inthe case of using these nozzles, the spray pressure is generally 30 to120 PSI and the volume median diameter of liquid droplets dischargedfrom the nozzle is usually less than 430 microns. The drift-reducingnozzle is a nozzle in which drift is reduced as compared with a flat-fannozzle and which is called an air induction nozzle or a pre-orificenozzle. The volume median diameter of liquid droplets discharged fromthe drift-reducing nozzle is usually 430 microns or more.

The air induction nozzle is a nozzle having an air introduction portionbetween an inlet (chemical liquid introduction portion) and an outlet(chemical liquid discharge portion) of the nozzle, and forming dropletsfilled with air by mixing air into the chemical liquid. Examples of airinduction nozzles include TDXL11003-D, TDXL11004-D, TDXL11005-D,TDXL11006-D manufactured by Greenleaf Technologies, TTI110025, TTI11003,TTI11004, TTI11005, TTI11006, and TTI11008 manufactured by TeeJetTechnologies, and ULD120-04, ULD120-05, and ULD120-06 manufactured byPentair. The TTI11004 is particularly desirable.

In the pre-orifice nozzle, an inlet (chemical liquid introductionportion) of the nozzle is a metering orifice, and this is a nozzle thatforms large liquid droplets by limiting a flow rate flowing into thenozzle and reducing a pressure in the nozzle. In the case of using thisnozzle, the pressure at the time of discharge is approximately halvedcompared with that before introduction. Examples of pre-orifice nozzlesinclude DR110-10, UR110-05, UR110-06, UR110-08, and UR110-10manufactured by Wilger Industries Ltd., and 1/4TTJ08 Turf Jet and1/4TTJ04 Turf Jet manufactured by TeeJet Technologies.

In the present method, seeds of the present crop are seeded in thecultivation area by a normal method. The present method may be performedbefore seeding, or the present method may be performed simultaneouslywith seeding and/or after seeding. That is, examples of the number oftimes of performing the present method include 1 to 3 during thecultivation of the present crop. In the case of 1, the treatment can beperformed 1 time before seeding, 1 time simultaneously with seeding, or1 time after seeding. In the case of 2, the treatment can be performed 2times except before seeding, 2 times except simultaneously with seeding,or 2 times except after seeding. In the case of 3, the treatment can beperformed 1 time before seeding, 1 time simultaneously with seeding, and1 time after seeding.

When the present method is performed before seeding, the present methodis usually performed 50 days before seeding to immediately beforeseeding, preferably 30 days before seeding to immediately beforeseeding, more preferably 20 days before seeding to immediately beforeseeding, and still more preferably 10 days before seeding to immediatelybefore seeding.

When the present method is performed after seeding, the present methodis usually performed immediately after seeding to before flowering. Amore preferable performing time is between immediately after seeding andbefore emergence, and between the 1 leaf stage and the 6 leaf stage ofthe true leaf of the present crop.

The case where the present method is performed simultaneously withseeding is a case where the seeding machine and the sprayer areintegrated.

In the present method, when the present crop is cultivated, the seed ofthe crop may be treated with one or more compound selected from thegroup consisting of a specific insecticide compound, a nematicidecompound, a fungicide compound, and a plant growth regulator compound.Examples of compounds used for seed treatment include neonicotinoidcompounds, diamide compounds, carbamate compounds, organophosphoruscompounds, biological nematicide compounds, other insecticide compoundsand nematicide compounds, azole compounds, strobilurin compounds,metalaxyl compounds, SDHI compounds, other fungicide compounds, andplant growth regulator compounds.

Examples of weed species to be controlled by the present method include,but are not limited to, the following.

Urticaceae weeds: small nettle (Urtica urens)

Polygonaceae weeds: black bindweed (Polygonum convolvulus), palepersicaria (Polygonum lapathifolium), Pennsylvania smartweed (Polygonumpensylvanicum), redshank (Polygonum persicaria), bristly lady's-thumb(Polygonum longisetum), knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare), equal-leavedknotgrass (Polygonum arenastrum), Japanese knotweed (Polygonumcuspidatum), Japanese dock (Rumex japonicus), curly dock (Rumexcrispus), blunt-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius), common sorrel (Rumexacetosa)

Portulacaceae weeds: common purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

Caryophyllaceae weeds: common chickweed (Stellaria media), waterchickweed (Stellaria aquatica), common mouse-ear (Cerastiumholosteoides), sticky mouse-ear (Cerastium glomeratum), corn spurrey(Spergula arvensis), five-wound catchfly (Silene gallica)

Molluginaceae weeds: carpetweed (Mollugo verticillata)

Chenopodiaceae weeds: common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album), Indiangoose foot (Chenopodium ambrosioides), kochia (Kochia scoparia), spinysaltwort (Salsola kali), Orach (Atriplex spp.)

Amaranthaceae weeds: redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus), slenderamaranth (Amaranthus viridis), livid amaranth (Amaranthus lividus),spiny amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus), smooth pigweed (Amaranthushybridus), Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri), green pigweed(Amaranthus patulus), waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus=Amaranthusrudis=Amaranthus tamariscinus), prostrate pigweed (Amaranthusblitoides), large-fruit amaranth (Amaranthus deflexus), mucronateamaranth (Amaranthus quitensis), alligator weed (Alternantheraphiloxeroides), sessile alligator weed (Alternanthera sessilis),perrotleaf (Alternanthera tenella)

Papaveraceae weeds: common poppy (Papaver rhoeas), field poppy (Papaverdubium), Mexican prickle poppy (Argemone mexicana)

Brassicaceae weeds: wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum), radish(Raphanus sativus), wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis), shepherd's purse(Capsella bursapastoris), white mustard (Brassica juncea), oilseed rape(Brassica napus), pinnate tansy mustard (Descurainia pinnata), marshyellowcress (Rorippa islandica), yellow fieldcress (Rorippa sylvestris),field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense), turnip weed (Myagrum rugosum),Virginia pepperweed (Lepidium virginicum), slender wartcress (Coronopusdidymus)

Capparaceae weeds: African cabbage (Cleome affinis)

Fabaceae weeds: Indian joint vetch (Aeschynomene indica), zigzag jointvetch (Aeschynomene rudis), hemp sesbania (Sesbania exaltata), sicklepod (Cassia obtusifolia), coffee senna (Cassia occidentalis), Floridabeggar weed (Desmodium tortuosum), wild groundnut (Desmodiumadscendens), Illinois tick trefoil (Desmodium illinoense), white clover(Trifolium repens), kudzu (Pueraria lobata), narrowleaf vetch (Viciaangustifolia), hairy indigo (Indigofera hirsuta), Indigoferatruxillensis, common cowpea (Vigna sinensis)

Oxalidaceae weeds: creeping wood sorrel (Oxalis corniculata), Europeanwood sorrel (Oxalis stricta), purple shamrock (Oxalis oxyptera)

Geraniaceae weeds: Carolina geranium (Geranium carolinense), commonstorksbill (Erodium cicutarium)

Euphorbiaceae weeds: sun spurge (Euphorbia helioscopia), annual spurge(Euphorbia maculata), prostrate spurge (Euphorbia humistrata), Hungarianspurge (Euphorbia esula), wild poinsettia (Euphorbia heterophylla),hyssop-leaf sandmat (Euphorbia brasiliensis), Asian copperleaf (Acalyphaaustralis), tropic croton (Croton glandulosus), lobed croton (Crotonlobatus), long-stalked phyllanthus (Phyllanthus corcovadensis), castorbean (Ricinus communis)

Malvaceae weeds: velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti), arrow-leaf sida(Sida rhombifolia), heart-leaf sida (Sida cordifolia), prickly sida(Sida spinosa), Sida glaziovii, Sida santaremnensis, bladder weed(Hibiscus trionum), spurred anoda (Anoda cristata), spine-seededfalse-mallow (Malvastrum coromandelianum)

Onagraceae weeds: Ludwigia epilobioides, long-fruited primrose willow(Ludwigia octovalvis), winged water primrose (Ludwigia decurre), commonevening-primrose (Oenothera biennis), cutleaf evening-primrose(Oenothera laciniata)

Sterculiaceae weeds: Florida waltheria (Waltheria indica)

Violaceae weeds: field violet (Viola arvensis), wild violet (Violatricolor)

Cucurbitaceae weeds: bur cucumber (Sicyos angulatus), wild cucumber(Echinocystis lobata), bitter balsam apple (Momordica charantia)

Lythraceae weeds: Ammannia multiflora, eared redstem (Ammanniaauriculata), scarlet toothcup (Ammannia coccinea), purple loosestrife(Lythrum salicaria), Indian toothcup (Rotala indica)

Elatinaceae weeds: three-stamen waterwort (Elatine triandra), Californiawaterwort (Elatine californica)

Apiacea weeds: Chinese celery (Oenanthe javanica), wild carrot (Daucuscarota), carrot fern (Conium maculatum)

Araliaceae weeds: lawn pennywort (Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides), floatingpennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides)

Ceratophyllaceae weeds: common hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum)

Cabombaceae weeds: Carolina fanwort (Cabomba caroliniana)

Haloragaceae weeds: Brazilian water milfoil (Myriophyllum aquaticum),whorled water milfoil (Myriophyllum verticillatum), water milfoils(Myriophyllum spicatum, Myriophyllum heterophyllum, etc.)

Sapindaceae weeds: heartseed (Cardiospermum halicacabum)

Primulaceae weeds: scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis)

Asclepiadaceae weeds: common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), honeyvinemilkweed (Ampelamus albidus)

Rubiaceae weeds: catchweed bedstraw (Galium aparine), Galium spuriumvar. echinospermon, broadleaf buttonweed (Spermacoce latifolia), Brazilcalla lily (Richardia brasiliensis), broadleaf buttonweed (Borreriaalata)

Convolvulaceae weeds: Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil), ivy-leafmorning glory (Ipomoea hederacea), tall morning glory (Ipomoeapurpurea), entire-leaf morning glory (Ipomoea hederacea var.integriuscula), pitted morning glory (Ipomoea lacunosa), three-lobemorning glory (Ipomoea triloba), blue morning glory (Ipomoea acuminata),scarlet morning glory (Ipomoea hederifolia), red morning glory (Ipomoeacoccinea), cypress-vine morning glory (Ipomoea quamoclit), Ipomoeagrandifolia, Ipomoea aristolochiaefolia, Cairo morning glory (Ipomoeacairica), field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), Japanese false bindweed(Calystegia hederacea), Japanese bindweed (Calystegia japonica), ivywoodrose (Merremia hederacea), hairy woodrose (Merremia aegyptia),roadside woodrose (Merremia cissoides), small-flower morning glory(Jacquemontia tamnifolia)

Boraginaceae weeds: field forget-me-not (Myosotis arvensis)

Lamiaceae weeds: purple deadnettle (Lamium purpureum), common henbit(Lamium amplexicaule), lion's ear (Leonotis nepetaefolia), wildspikenard (Hyptis suaveolens), Hyptis lophanta, Siberian motherwort(Leonurus sibiricus), field-nettle betony (Stachys arvensis)

Solanaceae weeds: jimsonweed (Datura stramonium), black nightshade(Solanum nigrum), American black nightshade (Solanum americanum),eastern black nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum), hairy nightshade (Solanumsarrachoides), buffalo bur (Solanum rostratum), soda-apple nightshade(Solanum aculeatissimum), sticky nightshade (Solanum sisymbriifolium),horse nettle (Solanum carolinense), cutleaf groundcherry (Physalisangulata), smooth groundcherry (Physalis subglabrata), apple of Peru(Nicandra physalodes)

Scrophulariaceae weeds: ivyleaf speedwell (Veronica hederaefolia),common speedwell (Veronica persica), corn speedwell (Veronica arvensis),common false pimpernel (Lindernia procumbens), false pimpernel(Lindernia dubia), Lindernia angustifolia, round-leaf water hyssop(Bacopa rotundifolia), dopatrium (Dopatrium junceum), Gratiola japonica,

Plantaginaceae weeds: Asiatic plantain (Plantago asiatica),narrow-leaved plantain (Plantago lanceolata), broadleaf plantain(Plantago major), marsh water starwort (Callitriche palustris)

Asteraceae weeds: common cocklebur (Xanthium pensylvanicum), largecocklebur (Xanthium occidentale), Canada cocklebur (Xanthium italicum),common sunflower (Helianthus annuus), wild chamomile (Matricariachamomilla), scentless chamomile (Matricaria perforata), corn marigold(Chrysanthemum segetum), rayless mayweed (Matricaria matricarioides),Japanese mugwort (Artemisia princeps), common mugwort (Artemisiavulgaris), Chinese mugwort (Artemisia verlotorum), tall goldenrod(Solidago altissima), common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), hairygalinsoga (Galinsoga ciliata), small-flower galinsoga (Galinsogaparviflora), common groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), flower-of-souls(Senecio brasiliensis), Senecio grisebachii, fleabane (Conyzabonariensis), Guernsey fleabane (Conyza sumatrensis), marestail (Conyzacanadensis), common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), giant ragweed(Ambrosia trifida), three-cleft bur-marigold (Bidens tripartita), hairybeggarticks (Bidens pilosa),

S43831 common beggarticks (Bidens frondosa), greater beggarticks (Bidenssubalternans), Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), black thistle (Cirsiumvulgare), blessed milkthistle (Silybum marianum), musk thistle (Carduusnutans), prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola), annual sowthistle (Sonchusoleraceus), spiny sowthistle (Sonchus asper), beach creeping oxeye(Wedelia glauca), perfoliate blackfoot (Melampodium perfoliatum), redtasselflower (Emilia sonchifolia), wild marigold (Tagetes minuta), paracress (Blainvillea latifolia), coat buttons (Tridax procumbens),Bolivian coriander (Porophyllum ruderale), Paraguay starbur(Acanthospermum australe), bristly starbur (Acanthospermum hispidum),balloon vine (Cardiospermum halicacabum), tropic ageratum (Ageratumconyzoides), common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), American falsedaisy (Eclipta alba), fireweed (Erechtites hieracifolia), Americancudweed (Gamochaeta spicata), linear-leaf cudweed (Gnaphalium spicatum),Jaegeria hirta, ragweed parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus), smallyellow crownbeard (Siegesbeckia orientalis), lawn burweed (Solivasessilis), white eclipta (Eclipta prostrata), American false daisy(Eclipta alba), spreading sneezeweed (Centipeda minima)

Alismataceae weeds: dwarf arrowhead (Sagittaria pygmaea), threeleafarrowhead (Sagittaria trifolia), arrowhead (Sagittaria sagittifolia),giant arrowhead (Sagittaria montevidensis), Sagittaria aginashi,channelled water plantain (Alisma canaliculatum), common water plantain(Alisma plantago-aquatica)

Limnocharitaceae: Sawah flowering rush (Limnocharis flava)

Hydrocharitaceae weeds: American frogbit (Limnobium spongia), Floridaelodea (Hydrilla verticillata), common water nymph (Najas guadalupensis)

Araceae weeds: Nile cabbage (Pistia stratiotes) Lemnaceae weeds:three-nerved duckweed (Lemna aoukikusa), common duckmeat (Spirodelapolyrhiza), Wolffia spp.

Potamogetonaceae weeds: roundleaf pondweed (Potamogeton distinctus),pondweeds (Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton illinoensis, Stuckeniapectinata, etc.)

Liliaceae weeds: wild onion (Allium canadense), wild garlic (Alliumvineale), Chinese garlic (Allium macrostemon)

Pontederiaceae weeds: common water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), bluemud plantain (Heteranthera limosa), Monochoria korsakowii, heartshapefalse pickerelweed (Monochoria vaginalis)

Commelinaceae weeds: common dayflower (Commelina communis), tropicalspiderwort (Commelina benghalensis), erect dayflower (Commelina erecta),Asian spiderwort (Murdannia keisak)

Poaceae weeds: common barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli), earlybarnyardgrass (Echinochloa oryzicola), barnyard grass (Echinochloacrus-galli var formosensis), late watergrass (Echinochloa oryzoides),jungle rice (Echinochloa colonum), Gulf cockspur (Echinochloacrus-pavonis), green foxtail (Setaria viridis), giant foxtail (Setariafaberi), yellow foxtail (Setaria glauca), knotroot foxtail (Setariageniculata), southern crabgrass (Digitaria ciliaris), large crabgrass(Digitaria sanguinalis), Jamaican crabgrass (Digitaria horizontalis),sourgrass (Digitaria insularis), goosegrass (Eleusine indica), annualbluegrass (Poa annua), rough-stalked meadowgrass (Poa trivialis),Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), short-awn foxtail (Alopecurusaequalis), blackgrass (Alopecurus myosuroides), wild oat (Avena fatua),Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense), shataken (grain sorghum; Sorghumvulgare), quackgrass (Agropyron repens), Italian ryegrass (Loliummultiflorum), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), bomugi (rigidryegrass; Lolium rigidum), rescue brome (Bromus catharticus), downybrome (Bromus tectorum), Japanese brome grass (Bromus japonicus), cheat(Bromus secalinus), cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), foxtail barley(Hordeum jubatum), jointed goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica), reedcanarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea), little-seed canary grass (Phalarisminor), silky bentgrass (Apera spica-venti), fall panicum (Panicumdichotomiflorum), Texas panicum (Panicum texanum), guineagrass (Panicummaximum), broadleaf signalgrass (Brachiaria platyphylla), Congo signalgrass (Brachiaria ruziziensis), Alexander grass (Brachiariaplantaginea), Surinam grass (Brachiaria decumbens), palisade grass(Brachiaria brizantha), creeping signalgrass (Brachiaria humidicola),southern sandbur (Cenchrus echinatus), field sandbur (Cenchruspauciflorus), woolly cupgrass (Eriochloa villosa), feathery pennisetum(Pennisetum setosum), Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana), feathertop Rhodesgrass (Chlorisvirgata), India lovegrass (Eragrostis pilosa), Natal grass(Rhynchelytrum repens), crowfoot grass (Dactyloctenium aegyptium),winkle grass (Ischaemum rugosum), swamp millet (Isachne globosa), commonrice (Oryza sativa), bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum), coastal sandpaspalum (Paspalum maritimum), mercergrass (Paspalum distichum),kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinum), West Indies pennisetum(Pennisetum setosum), itch grass (Rottboellia cochinchinensis), Asiansprangletop (Leptochloa chinensis), salt-meadow grass (Leptochloafascicularis), Christmas-tree grass (Leptochloa filiformis), Amazonsprangletop (Leptochloa panicoides), Japanese cutgrass (Leersiajaponica), Leersia sayanuka, cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides), Glycerialeptorrhiza, sharpscale mannagrass (Glyceria acutiflora), greatwatergrass (Glyceria maxima), redtop (Agrostis gigantea), carpet bent(Agrostis stolonifera), Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), cocks foot(Dactylis glomerata), centipede grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides), tallfescue (Festuca arundinacea), red fescue (Festuca rubra), lalang(Imperata cylindrica), Chinese fairy grass (Miscanthus sinensis),switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), Japanese lawngrass (Zoysia japonica)

Cyperaceae weeds: Asian flatsedge (Cyperus microiria), rice flatsedge(Cyperus iria), hedgehog cyperus (Cyperus compressus), small-flowerednutsedge (Cyperus difformis), lax-flat sedge (Cyperus flaccidus),Cyperus globosus, Cyperus nipponics, fragrant flatsedge (Cyperusodoratus), mountain nutsedge (Cyperus serotinus), purple nutsedge(Cyperus rotundus), yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus), pasture spikesedge (Kyllinga gracillima), green kyllinga (Kyllinga brevifolia),grasslike fimbristylis (Fimbristylis miliacea), annual fringerush(Fimbristylis dichotoma), slender spikerush (Eleocharis acicularis),Eleocharis kuroguwai, Japanese bulrush (Schoenoplectiella hotarui),hardstem bulrush (Schoenoplectiella juncoides), Schoenoplectiellawallichii, rough-seed bulrush (Schoenoplectiella mucronatus),Schoenoplectiella triangulatus, Schoenoplectiella nipponicus, triangularclub-rush (Schoenoplectiella triqueter), Bolboschoenus koshevnikovii,river bulrush (Bolboschoenus fluviatilis)

Equisetaceae weeds: field horsetail (Equisetum arvense), marsh horsetail(Equisetum palustre)

Salviniaceae weeds: floating fern (Salvinia natans)

Azollaceae weeds: Japanese mosquitofern (Azolla japonica), featheredmosquito fern (Azolla imbricata)

Marsileaceae: clover fern (Marsilea quadrifolia)

Other: Filamentous algae (Pithophora, Cladophora), Bryophyta,Marchantiophyta, Anthocerotophyta, Cyanobacteria, Pteridophyta, suckerof perennial crop (pome fruits, stone fruits, berry fruits, nuts, citrusfruits, hops, grapes, etc.)

Regarding the above-described weeds, intra-specific variations are notparticularly limited. In other words, weeds having reduced sensitivity(also referred to as having resistance) to a specific herbicide are alsoincluded. The reduced sensitivity may be caused by a mutation at atarget site (target site mutation) or may be caused by a factor otherthan the target site mutation (non-target site mutation). The targetsite mutation includes a target site mutation in which a mutation of anucleic acid sequence portion (open reading frame) corresponding to anamino acid sequence of a protein results in amino acid substitution in aprotein at a target site, and a target site mutation in which a proteinat a target site is overexpressed by deletion of a suppressor sequencein a promoter region, amplification of an enhancer sequence, or increasein copy number of a gene.

Examples of the factor of the reduced sensitivity caused by non-targetsite mutation include enhanced metabolism, absorption failure, transferfailure, and excretion outside the system. Examples of the factor of theenhanced metabolism include an increase in the activity of a metabolicenzyme such as cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, allyl acylamidase,esterase, and glutathione S transferase. Examples of the excretionoutside the system include transport to vacuoles by an ABC transporter.

Examples of herbicide-resistant weeds include the following.

Glyphosate Resistance:

Examples of weeds having reduced sensitivity due to target site mutationinclude weeds having a mutation that causes one or more of the followingamino acid substitutions in the EPSPS gene: Thr102Ile, Pro106Ser,Pro106Ala, and Pro106Leu. According to the present invention,goosegrass, Italian ryegrass, bomugi, ryegrass, sourgrass, waterhemp,jungle rice, and the like which have one or more of these mutations(e.g., a double mutation of Thr102Ile and Pro106Ser) are effectivelycontrolled. Similarly, examples of glyphosate resistance due to targetsite mutation include an increase in copy number of the EPSPS gene.According to the present invention, glyphosate resistant Palmeramaranth, waterhemp, kochia, and the like which have increased copynumber of EPSPS gene are effectively controlled. Examples of weedshaving reduced sensitivity due to non-target site mutation includeglyphosate-resistant marestail, Guernsey fleabane, fleabane, and thelike in which an ABC transporter is involved, and these weeds areeffectively controlled by the present invention.

ALS Inhibitory Herbicide Resistance:

Examples of weeds having reduced sensitivity due to target site mutationinclude weeds having a mutation that causes one or more of the followingamino acid substitutions in the ALS gene: Ala122Thr, Ala122Val,Ala122Tyr, Pro197Ser, Pro197His, Pro197Thr, Pro197Arg, Pro197Leu,Pro197Gln, Pro197Ala, Pro197Ile, Ala205Val, Ala205Phe, Asp376Glu,Asp376Gln, Asp376Asn, Arg377His, Trp574Leu, Trp574Gly, Trp574Met,Ser653Thr, Ser653Asn, Ser635Ile, Gly654Glu, and Gly654Asp. According tothe present invention, ALS inhibitor-resistant redroot pigweed, smoothpigweed, Palmer amaranth, waterhemp, kochia, and the like which havethese target site mutations are effectively controlled. Examples ofweeds having reduced sensitivity due to non-target site mutation includeweeds that have become resistant to an ALS inhibitor due to theinvolvement of CYP or GST, and these weeds are effectively controlled bythe present invention. Known examples thereof include bomugi in whichCYP81A10 or CYP81A1v1 is overexpressed, early barnyardgrass in whichCYP81A12 or CYP81A21 is overexpressed, and blackgrass in which GSTF1 orGSTU2 is overexpressed.

ACCase Inhibitor Resistance:

Examples of weeds having reduced sensitivity due to target site mutationinclude weeds having a mutation that causes one or more of the followingamino acid substitutions in the ACCase gene: Ile1781Leu, Ile1781Val,Ile1781Thr, Trp1999Cys, Trp1999Leu, Ala2004Val, Trp2027Cys, Ile2041Asn,Ile2041Val, Asp2078Gly, Cys2088Arg, and Gly2096Ala. According to thepresent invention, ACCase-resistant weeds having these target sitemutations are effectively controlled. Examples of weeds having reducedsensitivity due to non-target site mutation include weeds that havebecome resistant to an ACCase inhibitor due to the involvement of CYP orGST, and these weeds are effectively controlled by the presentinvention. Known examples thereof include bomugi in which CYP81A10 orCYP81A1v1 is overexpressed, early barnyardgrass in which CYP81A12 orCYP81A21 is overexpressed, and blackgrass in which GSTF1 or GSTU2 isoverexpressed.

PPO Inhibitor Resistance:

Examples of weeds having reduced sensitivity due to target site mutationinclude weeds having a mutation that causes one or more of the followingamino acid substitutions in the PPO gene, and these mutations are knownas a mutation resistant to fomesafen or lactofen. Arg128Leu, Arg128Met,Arg128Gly, Arg128His, Gly210 deletion, Gly114Glu, Ser149Ile, andGly399Ala. PPO1 and PPO2 genes are usually present in a PPO gene of aweed. The mutation may be present in either or both of the PPO1 gene andthe PPO2 gene. The case where the mutation is in the PPO2 gene ispreferable. For example, Arg128Met means that there is a mutation in the128th amino acid (the numbers are all standardized with PPO2 from Palmeramaranth). In the PPO2 gene of common ragweed, this mutation correspondsto the 98th (Weed Science 60, 335-344), and the notation Arg98Leu isknown, and this Arg98 is synonymous with Arg128 in the presentspecification. In PPO genes of weeds to be controlled according to thepresent invention, Arg128Met and Arg128Gly are known for Palmer amaranth(Pest Management Science 73, 1159-1563), Arg128His is known for bomugi(WSSA annual meeting, 2018), and Gly114Glu, Ser149Ile, and Gly399Ala areknown for Palmer amaranth (WSSA annual meeting, 2018). According to thepresent invention, PPO inhibitor-resistant weeds having these targetsite mutations are effectively controlled, but the PPOinhibitor-resistant weeds to be controlled are not limited thereto. Thatis, in addition to Palmer amaranth having Arg128Leu, Arg128Met,Arg128Gly, Arg128His, Gly210 deletion, or Gly399Ala, for example,waterhemp having the same mutation, common ragweed having the samemutation, wild poinsettia having the same mutation, and the like areeffectively controlled. Examples of weeds having reduced sensitivity dueto non-target site mutation include waterhemp and Palmer amaranth thathave become resistant to a PPO inhibitor due to the involvement of CYPor GST, and these weeds are effectively controlled by the presentinvention.

Auxin Herbicide Resistance:

Examples of the target site mutation include a mutation that causesGly-Asn in the degron region of the AUX/IAA gene. According to thepresent invention, kochia, Palmer amaranth, and waterhemp having thismutation are effectively controlled. As an example of the non-targetsite mutation, dicamba-resistant smooth pigweed and 2,4-D-resistantwaterhemp for which involvement of CYP is suggested are known, and theseare effectively controlled by the present invention. The same applies toa non-target site mutation in which GST is involved.

HPPD Inhibitor Resistance:

Examples of weeds having reduced sensitivity due to non-target sitemutation include waterhemp and Palmer amaranth that have becomeresistant to an HPPD inhibitor due to the involvement of CYP or GST, andthese weeds are effectively controlled by the present invention. Knownexamples thereof include Palmer amaranth in which CYP72A219, CYP81B, orCYP81E8 is overexpressed.

Photosystem II Inhibitor Resistance:

Examples of weeds having reduced sensitivity due to target site mutationinclude weeds having a mutation that causes one or more of the followingamino acid substitutions in the psbA gene: Val219Ile, Ser264Gly,Ser264Ala, and Phe274Val. According to the present invention,photosystem II inhibitor-resistant Palmer amaranth and waterhemp havingthese target site mutations are effectively controlled. Examples ofweeds having reduced sensitivity due to non-target site mutation includePalmer amaranth and waterhemp that are resistant to a photosystem IIinhibitor due to the involvement of CYP, GST, or AAA, and these weedsare effectively controlled by the present invention. Known examplesthereof include bomugi in which CYP71R4 is overexpressed.

Glutamine Synthetase Inhibitor Resistance:

Examples of weeds having reduced sensitivity due to target site mutationinclude weeds having a mutation that causes an amino acid substitutionof Asp171Asn in the glutamine synthetase gene. According to the presentinvention, glutamine synthetase inhibitor-resistant Palmer amaranth andwaterhemp having this mutation are effectively controlled. Examples ofweeds having reduced sensitivity due to non-target site mutation includePalmer amaranth and waterhemp that have become resistant to glufosinatedue to the involvement of CYP or GST, and these weeds are effectivelycontrolled by the present invention. Known examples thereof includePalmer amaranth in which CYP72A219, CYP81B, or CYP81E8 is overexpressed.

Even when the resistant weed is a resistant weed having (stacked)resistance to two or more groups (arbitrarily selected two groups,arbitrarily selected three groups, arbitrarily selected four groups,arbitrarily selected five groups, arbitrarily selected six groups,arbitrarily selected seven groups, or arbitrarily selected eight groups)of the above-described groups, the weed is effectively controlled. As anexample of the weed having stacked resistance, waterhemp resistant toall of photosystem II inhibitors, HPPD inhibitors, 2,4-D, PPOinhibitors, ALS inhibitors, and glyphosate is known, and this is alsocontrolled effectively. The above-described stack may be based on acombination of the target site mutations, a combination of thenon-target site mutations, or a combination of the target site mutationsand the non-target site mutations.

In the present method, the present compound may be used in combinationwith one or more other herbicides, plant growth regulators, andsafeners. Here, the “use in combination” includes tank-mix, pre-mix, andsequential application, and the sequential order in the case ofsequential application is not particularly limited.

Examples of the herbicide, plant growth regulator, and safener that canbe used in combination with the present compound include the following.

Herbicides: 2,3,6-TBA (2,3,6-trichlorobenzoic acid),2,3,6-TBA-dimethylammonium, 2,3,6-TBA-lithium, 2,3,6-TBA-potassium,2,3,6-TBA-sodium, 2,4-DB, 2,4-DB choline salt, 2,4DB biproamine,2,4-DB-butyl, 2,4-DB-dimethylammonium, 2,4-DB-isoctyl, 2,4-DB-potassium,2,4-DB-sodium, acetochlor, acifluorfen, acifluorfen-sodium, aclonifen,ACN (2-amino-3-chloronaphthalene-1,4-dione), alachlor, allidochlor,alloxydim, ametryn, amicarbazone, amidosulfuron, aminocyclopyrachlor,aminocyclopyrachlor-methyl, aminocyclopyrachlor-potassium, aminopyralid,aminopyralid choline salt, aminopyralid-potassium,aminopyralid-tripromine, amiprophos-methyl, amitrole, anilofos, asulam,atrazine, azafenidin, azimsulfuron, beflubutamid, benazolin-ethyl,bencarbazone, benfluralin, benfuresate, bensulfuron, bensulfuron-methyl,bensulide, bentazon, benthiocarb, benzfendizone, benzobicyclon,benzofenap, benzthiazuron, bialafosbialaphos, bicyclopyrone, bifenox,bispyribac, bispyribac-sodium, bixlozone, bromacil, bromobutide,bromofenoxim, bromoxynil, bromoxynil-octanoate, butachlor, butafenacil,butamifos, butralin, butroxydim, butylate, cafenstrole, carbetamide,carfentrazone, carfentrazone-ethyl, chlomethoxyfen, chloramben,chloridazon, chlorimuron, chlorimuron-ethyl, chlorobromuron,chlorotoluron, chloroxuron, chlorpropham, chlorsulfuron,chlorthal-dimethyl, chlorthiamid, cinidon, cinidon-ethyl, cinmethylin,cinosulfuron, clethodim, clodinafop, clodinafop-propargyl, clomazone,clomeprop, clopyralid, clopyralid choline salt, clopyralid-methyl,clopyralid-olamine, clopyralid-potassium,clopyralid-tris(2-hydroxypropyl)ammonium, cloransulam,cloransulam-methyl, cumyluron, cyanazine, cyclopyranil, cycloate,cyclopyrimorate, cyclosulfamuron, cycloxydim, cyhalofop,cyhalofop-butyl, daimuron, dalapon, dazomet, desmedipham, desmetryn,di-allate, dichlobenil, dichlorprop, dichlorprop choline salt,dichlorprop-biproamine, dichlorprop-2-ethylhexyl, dichlorprop-butotyl,dichlorprop-dimethylammonium, dichlorprop-ethylammonium,dichlorprop-isoctyl, dichlorprop-methyl, dichlorprop-P, dichlorprop-Pcholine salt, dichlorprop-P-biproamine, dichlorprop-P-2-ethylhexyl,dichlorprop-P-dimethylammonium, dichlorprop-potassium,dichlorprop-sodium, diclofop, diclofop-methyl, diclosulam, difenoxuron,difenzoquat, difenzoquat metilsulfate, diflufenican, diflufenzopyr,diflufenzopyr-sodium, dimefuron, dimepiperate, dimethachlor,dimethametryn, dimethenamid, dimethenamide-P, dimepiperate, dinitramine,dinoseb, dinoterb, diphenamid, diquat, diquat-dibromide, DSMA (disodiummethylarsonate), dithiopyr, diuron, DNOC (2-methyl-4,6-dinitrophenol),esprocarb, ethalfluralin, ethametsulfuron, ethametsulfuron-methyl,ethidimuron, ethofumesate, ethoxyfen-ethyl, ethoxysulfuron, etobenzanid,fenoxaprop, fenoxaprop-ethyl, fenoxaprop-P, fenoxaprop-P-ethyl,fenoxasulfone, fenquinotrione, fentrazamide, fenuron, flamprop-M,flazasulfuron, florasulam, florpyrauxifen, florpyrauxifen-benzyl,fluazifop, fluazifop-butyl, fluazifop-P, fluazifop-P-butyl, fluazolate,flucarbazone, flucarbazone-sodium, flucetosulfuron, flufenacet,flufenpyr, flufenpyr-ethyl, flumetsulam, flumetsulam, flumiclorac,flumiclorac-pentyl, flumioxazin, fluometuron, fluoroglycofen-ethyl,flupoxam, flupropanate, flupyrsulfuron, flupyrsulfuron-methyl-sodium,flurenol, fluridone, flurochloridone, fluroxypyr, fluroxypyr-butometyl,fluroxypyr-meptyl, fluroxypyr-butomethl, flurtamone, fluthiacet,fluthiacet-methyl, fomesafen, fomesafen-sodium, foramsulfuron, fosamine,halauxifen, halauxifen-methyl, halosafen, halosulfuron,halosulfuron-methyl, haloxyfop, haloxyfop-etotyl, haloxyfop-methyl,haloxyfop-P, haloxyfop-P-etotyl, haloxyfop-P-methyl, hexazinone,imazamethabenz, imazamethabenz-methyl, imazamox, imazamox-ammonium,imazapic, imazapic-ammonium, imazapyr, imazapyr-isopropylammonium,imazaquin, imazaquin-ammonium, imazosulfuron, indanofan, indaziflam,iodosulfuron, iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium, iofensulfuron,iofensulfuron-sodium, ioxynil, ioxynil-octanoate, ipfencarbazone,isoproturon, isouron, isoxaben, isoxachlortole, isoxaflutole, lactofen,lenacil, linuron, maleic hydrazide, MCPA(2-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)acetic acid), MCPA choline salt,MCPA-biproamine, MCPA-etexyl, MCPA-butotyl, MCPA-butyl,MCPA-dimethylammonium, MCPA-diolamine, MCPA-ethyl, MCPA-isobutyl,MCPA-isoctyl, MCPA-isopropyl, MCPA-methyl, MCPA-olamine, MCPA-sodium,MCPA-trolamine, MCPB (4-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)butanoic acid), MCPBcholine salt, MCPB-biproamine, MCPB-ethyl, MCPB-methyl, MCPB-sodium,mecoprop, mecoprop choline salt, mecoprop-biproamine,mecoprop-2-ethylhexyl, mecoprop-dimethylammonium, mecoprop-diolamine,mecoprop-ethadyl, mecoprop-isoctyl, mecoprop-methyl, mecoprop-potassium,mecoprop-sodium, mecoprop-trolamine, mecoprop-P, mecoprop-P cholinesalt, mecoprop-P-2-ethylhexyl, mecoprop-P-dimethylammonium,mecoprop-P-isobutyl, mecoprop-P-potassium, mefenacet, mesosulfuron,mesosulfuron-methyl, mesotrione, metam, metamifop, metamitron,metazachlor, metazosulfuron, methabenzthiazuron, methiozolin,methyldymron, metobromuron, metolachlor, metosulam, metoxuron,metribuzin, metsulfuron, metsulfuron-methyl, molinate, monolinuron,naproanilide, napropamide, napropamide-M, naptalam, neburon,nicosulfuron, norflurazon, oleic acid, orbencarb, orthosulfamuron,oryzalin, oxadiargyl, oxadiazon, oxasulfuron, oxaziclomefone,oxyfluorfen, paraquat, paraquat-dichloride, pebulate, pelargonic acid,pendimethalin, penoxsulam, pentanochlor, pentoxazone, pethoxamid,phenisopham, phenmedipham, picloram, picolinafen, pinoxaden, piperophos,pretilachlor, primisulfuron, primisulfuron-methyl, prodiamine,profluazol, profoxydim, prometon, prometryn, propachlor, propanil,propaquizafop, propazine, propham, propisochlor, propoxycarbazone,propoxycarbazone-sodium, propyrisulfuron, propyzamide, prosulfocarb,prosulfuron, pyraclonil, pyraflufen-ethyl, pyrasulfotole, pyrazolynate,pyrazosulfuron, pyrazosulfuron-ethyl, pyrazoxyfen, pyribenzoxim,pyributicarb, pyridafol, pyridate, pyriftalid, pyriminobac,pyriminobac-methyl, pyrimisulfan, pyrithiobac, pyrithiobac-sodium,pyroxasulfone, pyroxsulam, quinclorac, quinmerac, quizalofop,quizalofop-ethyl, quizalofop-tefuryl, quizalofop-P, quizalofop-P-ethyl,quizalofop-P-tefuryl, rimsulfuron, saflufenacil, sethoxydim, EPIC(S-ethyl N,N-dipropylcarbamothioate), siduron, simazine, simetryn,S-metolachlor, MSMA (sodium hydrogen methylarsonate), sulcotrione,sulfentrazone, sulfometuron, sulfometuron-methyl, TCA-ethadyl,sulfosulfuron, swep, TCA (2,2,2-trichloroacetic acid), tebutam,tebuthiuron, tefuryltrione, tembotrione, tepraloxydim, terbacil,terbumeton, terbuthylazine, terbutryn, tetflupyrolimet, thaxtomin A,thenylchlor, thiazopyr, thidiazimin, thiencarbazone,thiencarbazone-methyl, thifensulfuron, thifensulfuron-methyl,tiafenacil, tiocarbazil, tolpyralate, topramezone, tralkoxydim,triafamone, tri-allate, triasulfuron, triaziflam, tribenuron,tribenuron-methyl, triclopyr, triclopyr-butotyl, triclopyr-ethyl,triclopyr-triethylammonium, tridiphane, trietazine, trifloxysulfuron,trifloxysulfuron-sodium, trifludimoxazin, trifluralin, triflusulfuron,triflusulfuron-methyl, tritosulfuron, vernolate, ethyl[3-[2-chloro-4-fluoro-5-(1-methyl-6-trifluoromethyl-2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidin-3-yl)phenoxy]-2-pyridyloxy]acetate.

Safener: benoxacor, cloquintocet, cloquintocet-mexyl, cyometrinil,cyprosulfamide, dichlormid, dicyclonone, disulfoton, daimuron,fenchlorazole, fenchlorazole-ethyl, fenclorim, flurazole, furilazole,fluxofenim, hexim, isoxadifen, isoxadifen-ethyl, mefenpyr,mefenpyr-ethyl, mefenpyr-diethyl, mephenate, metcamifen, andoxabetrinil.

As the herbicide that can be used in combination with the presentcompound in the present method, flumioxazin, pyroxasulfone, acetochlor,mesotrione, isoxaflutole, chlorimuron-ethyl, metribuzin,dimethenamide-P, pendimethalin, ethyl[3-[2-chloro-4-fluoro-5-(1-methyl-6-trifluoromethyl-2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidin-3-yl)phenoxy]-2-pyridyloxy]acetateand clethodim are particularly preferable.

In the present method, as the safener that can be used in combinationwith the present compound, cyprosulfamide, benoxacor, dichlormid,furilazole, and isoxadifen-ethyl are particularly preferable.

When the herbicide and/or safener described above are used incombination with the present compound, the weight ratio of the presentcompound to the other herbicide and/or safener is usually in a range of1:0.001 to 1:100, preferably in a range of 1:0.01 to 1:10, and morepreferably in a range of 1:0.1 to 1:5. Examples of specific weightratios include 1:0.02, 1:0.04, 1:0.06, 1:0.08, 1:0.2, 1:0.4, 1:0.6,1:0.8, 1:1, 1:1.5, 1:2, 1:2.5, 1:3, and 1:4. These weight ratios may bedescribed with approximately. Approximately means plus/minus 10%, so,for example, “approximately 1:2” means 1:1.8 to 1:2.2.

The cultivation of crops in the present invention can be managedaccording to the plant-nutrition management in the common cropcultivation. The fertilization system may be based on PrecisionAgriculture or may be conventionally uniform one. In addition, nitrogenfixation bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi may be inoculated by seedtreatment.

EXAMPLES

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference toExamples, but the present invention is not limited to these Examples.

First, evaluation criteria of an herbicidal efficacy and phytotoxicityto crops described in the following Examples are shown.

[Herbicidal Efficacy and Phytotoxicity to Crops]

The evaluation of the herbicidal efficacy is classified into 0 to 100,where the numeral “0” indicates no or little difference in the state ofemergence or growth of weeds under test at the time of examination ascompared with untreated weeds, and the numeral “100” indicates thecomplete death of weeds under test or the complete inhibition ofemergence or growth of weeds under test.

For the evaluation of phytotoxicity to crops, when little phytotoxicityis observed, the evaluation is “harmless”, when slight phytotoxicity isobserved, the evaluation is “small”, when moderate phytotoxicity isobserved, the evaluation is “moderate”, and when strong phytotoxicity isobserved, the evaluation is “large”.

Example 1

A pot is filled with a soil, and then Palmer amaranth, waterhemp,kochia, common ragweed or marestail is seeded at a corner portion of thesoil. The weeds are grown in a greenhouse for 14 days, and a sectionincluding vegetation patches of weeds (20% of the area on the pot) issubjected to foliar treatment with a spray liquid of dicamba-biproamine(prepared by diluting a commercially available formulation ofdicamba-biproamine (soluble liquid containing 600 g/L ofdicamba-biproamine as dicamba acid equivalence, Engenia, manufactured byBASF) with water) at 560 g/ha (shown as an application amount as dicambaacid equivalence in a spot-treated section) and a liquid amount of 150L/ha (as a liquid amount in a spot-treated section). Immediatelythereafter, soybean (Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Xtend), corn (GenuityRoundup Ready 2), or cotton (Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Xtend) is seeded ina corner portion different from vegetation patches of weeds in the soil,and grown in the greenhouse for 21 days. This is defined as theinvention plot. In the invention plot, an excellent weed control effectis confirmed compared with any of the comparative plot different fromthe invention plot in that soybean, corn, and cotton are not seeded, andthe comparative plot different from the invention plot in that uniformblanket treatment is performed on the entire pot at 560 g/ha.

Example 2

A pot is filled with soil, and then Palmer amaranth, waterhemp, kochia,common ragweed, or marestail is seeded at a corner portion of the soil,and soybean (Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Xtend), corn (Genuity Roundup Ready2), or cotton (Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Xtend) is seeded at anothercorner portion of the soil. The weeds and crops are grown in agreenhouse for 14 days, and a section including vegetation patches ofweeds (20% of the area on the pot) is subjected to foliar treatment witha spray liquid of dicamba-biproamine (prepared by diluting Engenia withwater) at 560 g/ha (shown as an application amount as dicamba acidequivalence in a spot-treated section) and a liquid amount of 150 L/ha(as a liquid amount in a spot-treated section). Thereafter, the weedsand crops are grown in the greenhouse for 21 days. This is defined asthe invention plot. In the invention plot, an excellent weed controleffect is confirmed compared with any of the comparative plot differentfrom the invention plot in that soybean, corn, and cotton are notseeded, and the comparative plot different from the invention plot inthat uniform blanket treatment is performed on the entire pot at 560g/ha.

Examples 3 and 4

The same procedure is performed replacing the spray liquid ofdicamba-biproamine with a spray liquid of glufosinate-ammonium (preparedby diluting a commercially available formulation of glufosinate-ammonium(soluble liquid containing 280 g/L of glufosinate-ammonium, Liberty280SL, manufactured by BASF) with water containing 1% (w/v) of adjuvantAgri-Dex) and changing the application amount from 560 g/ha (shown as anapplication amount as dicamba acid equivalence in a spot-treatedsection) to 655 g/ha (shown as an application amount ofglufosinate-ammonium in a spot-treated section).

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Weeds can be effectively controlled by the method for controlling weedsof the present invention.

1. A method for controlling weeds comprising a step of performing a spottreatment of at least one anionic herbicide selected from the groupconsisting of glyphosate or salts thereof, glufosinate or salts thereof,dicamba or salts thereof, 2,4-D or salts or esters thereof andimazethapyr or salts thereof in a cultivation area of soybean, corn, orcotton.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the anionicherbicide is applied to at least 10% of an area of the cultivation areaby the spot treatment.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein theanionic herbicide is glufosinate or salts thereof.
 4. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the anionic herbicide is dicamba or saltsthereof.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the weeds are weedsselected from the group consisting of Amaranthus weeds, Kochia weeds,Ambrosia weeds, and Conyza weeds.